


The Competition Never Stops

by MiniRaven



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Blacksmith Tony Stark, Costumes, Crack Treated Seriously, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Gladiator Captain America, Jealous Steve Rogers, M/M, Oblivious Tony Stark, Pining, event madness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-05 01:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10294256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniRaven/pseuds/MiniRaven
Summary: Steve's been watching Tony for awhile, but holds himself back from acting on his feelings. Too late does Steve realize that he's in love with the brilliant young man when an array of attractive individuals come by and try to steal Tony's attention. Steve may be late to the party, but that doesn't mean he won't put up a fight.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt by navaan: Steve hasn't even made up his mind yet about whether he's in love with Tony, but then other people step in to woo him away - and Steve can't take it
> 
> Not betaed. Sorry in advanced for the inevitable number of spelling errors and mistakes.

Steve is playing pool at the Club A when Fury’s newest recruit, Brian Falsworth aka Union Jack, walks in. He quickly surveys the room before spotting Tony taking a break at the bar. Brian smiles and saddles right up next to Tony and begins making small talk.

Steve ignores it for the most part. He’s more interest in lining up his shot. Steve and Sam have a competition going on to see who’s better at pool. There’s a small chalkboard across the dance floor with their scores from the past month. This week Sam is ahead.

Steve can’t let him win for long. He’s class president. He’s got standards to uphold and a rag tag school filled with superheroes to keep in order.

Steve’s bending over the pool table at the waist; lining up his last shot, when he sees something out of the corner of his eye. Tony and Brian are talking in hushed voices. Brian whispers something in Tony’s ear and Tony lets out a loud laugh. The edges of his cheeks turn pink as Tony pushes Brian away with a playful shove. Without so much as a “by your leave,” the young Brit leers, reaches an arm around Tony’s waist, and pulls them close together so their hips are touching.

Steve’s heart stops and the cue slips out from between his fingers. He misses the shot by a mile, makes a long scuff along the green felt, and lands face first on the table.

“Shit,” curses Steve as the last ball hops over the edge and onto the wood floor.

Tony hears the ruckus and turns his attention to the pool table. “Everything okay Cap?”

“Yeah,” grumbles Steve, rubbing his cheek. “Just got a little distracted for a second.” And wounded his pride, but Tony didn’t need to know that.

“Really?” Tony tilts his head and suddenly he looks like a very confused, ~~very cute~~ , cockatiel. “You never get distracted when it comes to pool. You and Falcon take it way too seriously to get distracted.”

“Oh, come off it Stark. Not everything Captain America does can be perfect. He’s only human after all,” Brian says with a knowing smile.

Steve glares at the spy and resist the urge to growl.

Well-meaning Tony seems oblivious to it all. “I know that. But-”

“Let’s leave the poor man be,” Brian interrupts, wrapping an arm around Tony’s shoulder. They look so friendly and buddy buddy it’s giving Steve cavities. “How about you take me out? You said you’d give me a tour of the campus. Introduce me to what’s local and all. Classes just let out for the day, so why don’t we take a look around now?”

Tony sneaks a glance at Steve, but the minute Steve notices it, the look is gone. It’s replaced with a small smile and the twinkle in Tony’s eyes as he looks at Brian. “Sure. Right this way,” Tony says, leading them out of the club. “Later Cap.”

Steve gives a weak wave. He wants to say some witty farewell, but a pointed look from Brian stops him.

“Cheers, Captain America. Thanks for the show,” says Union Jack with a face that says everything but ‘Thanks’

The door slams behind them and Steve is left alone in Club A.

‘How dare he,’ Steve thinks as he bends down at the waist to pick up the cue ball. ‘Why in the world did Union Jack feel he could be so forward?’ Steve understands that times have changed, but touches like that are not school appropriate. Brian may be openly gay, but grabbing another man around the waist in such an intimate way without consent, especially Tony, was just… it was just… it wasn’t right!

Steve knows that Iron Man is attractive. He can freely admit that. The guy’s got looks that could kill, brains that rival Professor Pym’s, and a heart so soft and giving it could be used as a pillow. But just because Tony is open and welcoming with his body language and his guard is down pretty much every time Steve has snuck a peek, it doesn’t mean Tony is interested in anything other than friendship. Just because Steve’s heart beats like a drum every time Tony smiles at him doesn’t mean Tony wants Steve in _that_ way. It doesn’t mean Tony wants Steve to shove him up against the bar as Steve thrusts his warm tongue so deep into Iron Man’s mouth that it leaves the prattling man speechless.

A wicked thought flickers in the back of his head about making a rule against public displays of affection, but Steve quickly scraps that idea. Just because he’s wants petty revenge against Union Jack doesn’t mean the whole school should suffer.

Besides, the student population is small. How many of them would find Tony Stark attractive? Union Jack, maybe Steve, but that was it, right?

To Steve’s disappointment, it turns out there are a few more people who are romantically interested Tony Stark.

 

* * *

 

Spiderman swings on to campus and follows Tony like he’s some movie star. Immediately, Steve is by Tony’s side and sternly glares at Peter until the hero crawls away. It’s easy because Spiderman’s young in comparison, but that doesn’t keep other student’s interest away for long.

 

* * *

 

Things get weird (again) and this time Dr. Strange and his friends come knocking on the academy doors. They’re… a strange group of people to say the least. Steve makes a point to be polite around them. After all, Furry invited them so they must be decent people.

Plus, they’re magic users. Magic’s required to defeat the current threat from Kaecilius and Dormammu. Sure, Iron Man hates magic, but Steve has no reason to hate them. They seem like relatively sane individuals compared to the Asgardians.

Yet why is it that Steve can’t bring himself to like is Dr. Strange? They’ve only traded a few words and Strange seems a decent enough man. Maybe it’s because of how the relationship between Tony and Stephen develop over the chaotic month.

In a sense, it’s like looking in a mirror. Tony and Stephen are at each other’s throats arguing about the merits of their own craft. Tony says technology is better. Stephen out right disagrees. Just to prove Strange wrong, Tony dresses up like a wizard and attempts magic out of spite.

Who in their right mind does that? Who would go that far just to prove a point? Why is Tony doing this?

Every time Steve sees them hanging out in the park, arguing over the benefits of magic versus science, Steve has to bit his lip to stop harsh words from coming out. They don’t agree on anything. They will never agree on anything. Dr. Strange and Iron Man are too stubborn and too different to ever get along. It’s true that they have similar facial hair, have a background in science, are rich, and can talk circles around Steve any day, but that’s it.

So why is it that Tony’s eyes light up whenever he talks to Stephen? Why does Strange lean forward into Tony’s space, cheeks flushing as red as his magical cape when they argue? Why does Strange egg Tony on with such glee? Why do they get on like a house on fire?

Steve skulks off to Club A to do the Charleston for a few hours and tries not to think about it. He wishes he could dance away the envy in his heart.

 

* * *

 

Everyone on campus is staring at Tony’s latest outfit as he walks up to Steve. Steve hears the scandalized whispers of his peers long before he sees Tony’s shadow or feels the weight of Tony’s gloved hand on his shoulder.

“What do you think?” asks Tony. He’s so proud. He does a little spin so Steve can fully appreciate his new outfit.

Steve takes one look at the outfit and knows exactly what he thinks. It’s just not appropriate to say it out loud. His first though is, “Hot.” His second though is, “Dominatrix.” His third though is about how fucking good Tony’s body looks in the skin-tight leather. Never mind the fact that Tony’s hairless chest and pink nipples peeking out from under the leather are on display for all the world to see; the skin tight pants accentuating every single curve of Tony’s ass is a sin worthy of detention.

“I’m a blacksmith,” says Tony, beaming with pride.

“That was my second guess,” Steve lies under his breath as he quickly looks for an escape so he can hide his boner.

Fuck his hormones. Fuck being horny teenager. Fuck Tony being hot. Fuck everyone trying to hit on Tony so he never notices that Steve had feelings for him. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

 

* * *

 

Hulkling and Wiccan join the academy within a week of each other and it’s sickening how much they are in love. It has nothing to do with the fact that they’re both men and everything to do with the fact that they can’t stand to be apart for more than a day.

Steve watches them out of the corner of his eye and tries not to feel jealous, but it’s hard. Hulkling is a giant teddy bear, and Wiccan’s face lights up like magic every time he looks at his boyfriend. Steve is consistently catching them doing cute couple things together and it’s driving him crazy. Dancing together at Club A, snuggling on the couch at the dorm; Steve wishes they would stop not because of how public they are with their affection, but because it reminds him of what he doesn’t have.

When Teddy lays his head in Billy’s shoulder, Steve can’t help but think how perfect Tony’s windblown hair would look strewn across Steve’s lap. When Teddy dips Billy so the mage’s dark hair almost touches the dance floor, Steve’s heart aches thinking about how lovely Tony’s manic cackle would be and how his wild, brown eyes would sparkle when Steve brings him up out of the dip.

Steve can’t help feeling green with envy at their relationship, but he hides it. He’s had a lot of practice.

 

* * *

 

Fin Fang Foom attacks the academy and he doesn’t come alone. He’s brings an array of monsters to fight by his side as well as four humans caged up like animals. As is to be expected from Tony’s big heart, Iron Man is one of the first people to lead the charge. Steve watches from Robo Dojos as Tony throws a right hook at Devil Dinosaur.

‘He shouldn’t have to do that,’ Steve thinks as he takes down another robot with the curve of his shield. ‘Iron Man may be an Avenger, but Tony is a civilian. He’s always on the front line and he shouldn’t have to fight monsters ten times his size all alone.’

At that moment, Steve hears a noise from one of the cages. A man with dark hair and a lab coat, Steve recognizes him as Adameus Cho, grabs the bars with both hands and rips through the steel as if it’s nothing. He jumps down and joins Tony on the battle field, a cocky grin lighting up his face.  Steve is about to jump in and tell Cho that a scientist has no business on a battle field when Cho grows three times his size and roars as loud as the Hulk.

Correction, Cho _is_ a Hulk; just like A-Bomb and Red Hulk. Maybe not as strong as the original, but in the blink of an eye, he and Tony have sent Devil Dinosaur back to Fin Fang Foom with his tail between his legs.

Steve tries not to be discouraged. It was to be expected, enhanced people showing up on campus just in time to save the day. Steve is just disappointed that he couldn’t step in sooner. He’s the school president. He’s Captain America. He should be better than this.

When Steve is done with the dojo, he seeks out Professor Pym. Steve is not equipped with the weapons or the know how to fight to fight monster ten times his size, but maybe Professor Pym has a few ideas.

 

Steve comes out of the time stream training chamber feeling stronger and smarter. He has armor fit for fighting monsters, long hair that would rival Thor’s luxurious locks, and years of experience despite Professor Pym claiming Steve had only being in the chamber for a few hours.

He’s about to change back into his normal uniform when the ground shakes and a roar ripples across the campus. Neverminding the costume, Steve runs out of the lab in a flash.

A red golem more than twenty feet tall is laying waste to the courtyard grass. Students are scrambling about trying to avoid the large footsteps the creature leaves. Steve scans the campus for any sign of Tony, but comes up empty. Tony had to be here somewhere, but where?

Well, now was as good a time as any to use what he had learned with the gladiators.

Steve purses his lips and whistles as loud as he can. A wild screech washes over Steve as a large eagle descends from the sky and lands only a few feet away from the lab. Steve dashes over to the bird and hops on. With a kick of his foot, Steve urges the bird up into the air to scan the academy.

 

Steve spies Tony on his second time around the campus. Steve’s elated until he sees a Hulked out Adameus Cho on Tony’s left and the god like Hercules on Tony’s right. The monster and the demigod are showing off their strength like they’re trying to impress some doll, and it seems to be working. Tony is all smiles, applauding with encouragement as he buys into the show hook, line, and sinker.

Disappointment drops like a rock in his stomach. Steve was away from Tony for so long and he worked so hard to compete with the new recruits that he ruined his chance to impress Tony. And what does he have to show for his efforts? He has callouses on his callouses and his body hurts like hell. His gladiator uniform smells like feet. His feet and sandals smell like some unspeakable horror. His hard work may be worth it to protect the academy, but would it be worth it if he loses Tony for good?

Steve tries to forget about the sacrifice and shake off the feeling of loss. No use crying over spilled milk now. They have a mission to accomplish and a dragon to defeat.

He swoops down with a loud battle cry and helps fights Orrgo from the sky. When Steve’s not fighting the golem, he spends his time brooding and doing pushups on the eagle as it soars across the sky. It only helps him forget a little.

 

After a week of tirelessly fighting, the battle has been won. Orrgo has cut ties with Fin Fang Foom and wants to enroll at the academy. Steve is unsure about the sudden change in loyalty, but Iron Man smiles as he waves Steve down and Steve promptly forgets all about it.

Steve’s eagle lands a few feet from the man, picking up a cloud of dust as the eagle descends from the sky. Steve is elated to see Tony, but the pinched look in Tony’s brow makes him pause.

“Hey Cap.” The casual greeting and fake neutrality sounds forced. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure,” Steve says as he dismounts the eagle. “Is there a problem?”

“Not really,” Tony says with a shrug. But Steve can tell something his bothering him. "It’s just, why do you hope to accomplish by doing pushups on an eagle?”

Steve’s face heats up. Damn, he didn’t think anyone would notice. “Calling for reinforcements,” Steve says. The excuse sounds week even to his ears. “We need all the help we can get if we want to take down Fin Fang Foom.”

“What the hell sort of logic is that?”

“I don’t know. I thought it was a good idea at the time,” Steve stammers. He’s about to die of embarrassment if they don’t change the subject soon. Steve sees a skeletal frame of a stegosaurs and goes with that. “What do you expect to accomplish by building a dinosaur on campus? Moon Girl already build a robot dinosaur. We don’t need two on campus. Why do you feel you need to outdo everyone?”

Tony rolls his eyes and scoffs, “Like you aren’t competitive. I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen you checking out your own biceps since Hercules and Cho showed up.”

“I… what? I haven’t been checking out my biceps. And how do you know this?” Wait a second. “Wait, have you been checking out my biceps?”

Tony is silent for a moment. Steve can see the gears working in his head. “No,” Tony says as his ears turn pink.

That is clearly a lie if Steve ever heard one. “Why have you been checking out my biceps?”

Tony’s face immediately flushes as read as the Iron Man armor. “I… uh … Well, you know how it is when… um… What I mean to say is… I’m a scientist!” Tony yells. The jet boots spark against the sidewalk.  Tony’s about to make a run for it.

Without thinking, Steve grabs Tony’s wrist. Tony looks at his wrist and then back up at Steve. His eyes are filled with fear, but in the corner, Steve spots a bit of hope flickering in Tony’s brown eyes.

Steve gulps. He wants to say something, but a million possibilities are playing out in his head about how this could go wrong. Steve sees very few ways of this going right, but then again, he’s never been one to be deterred by unfavorable odds. “It’s fine. I… I don’t mind. But wouldn’t you have more accurate results if you measured it yourself?”

Iron Man’s boots whirl down and turn off. “Maybe,” Tony says with the utmost caution. “But I didn’t know if they were okay to touch.”

“I’m… uh… I’m very okay if you touched them.”

Tony looks unconvinced, but the way he avoids Steve’s gaze means he’s considering it. Slowly, almost shyly, Tony reaches out and touches Steve’s bicep. Skin touches skin and Tony’s hand shoots back as though he touched hot lava. “What about that? Was that okay.”

Steve nods. “Uh huh,” he says because he can’t think of another way of telling Tony that his skin is still tingling from the contact.

With a bit more confidence, Tony allows three fingers to graze the firm muscle. “What about this?”

Steve bites down on his lip as he tries not to scare the timid man away. “That’s okay too.”

Tony licks hips lips, leaving them shiny in the afternoon sun. He gingerly places his hand on Steve’s arm and allows his fingers to fan out over the skin. Tony stares at his hand and his face breaks into a smile. It’s as if he can’t believe Steve is allowing Tony to touch him. “And here?” Tony asks, running his thumb over the sensitive flesh.

In a fit of madness, Steve captures Tony’s chin in his fingers. Carefully, Steve raises Tony’s head until they’re looking into each other’s eyes. Steve’s heart is beating hard in his chest. Suddenly, the air around them feels thin. “That’s really nice,” he whispers.

But Tony still isn’t certain. “What about-”

Steve stifles the question by pressing his lips against Tony’s. The curious words are slowly stolen as Steve’s tongue roams Tony’s mouth, capturing every last insecurity until all that’s left is the adoration Steve has been carrying for months.

“Does that answer your question?” Steve asks, pulling away so he can press his forehead against Tony’s.

Tony is panting in his arms, but he nods with approval. “A very through answer. How do you do it Captain?”

“What can I say, Loki’s not the only one with a gifted tongue.”

“Except now I have a bunch more questions,” Tony says with a breathless laugh. “One being, ‘Did Orrgo hypnotized you into doing that?’ And if he didn’t, I have about a hundred questions that require _in depth analysis_ if you know what I mean.”

Steve gives Tony and understanding smirk. “Maybe I do. I assume you wouldn’t be interested in discussing the answers outside.”

“We could,” Tony says with a coy smile. “But that would be quite scandalous and we can’t have Captain America partaking in sexy times. Furry would throw a hissy fit. Plus, you seem the type to answer questions in a quiet building away from prying eyes, am I right?”

“I’d be up for either,” says Steve, feeling both excitement and embarrassment making his blood run hot. “How about we discuss levels of public displays of affection another day. Right now, I think Maverick Dorm would be the perfect place to do a very in depth interview.”

Tony’s eyes light up and Steve can’t wait to lose hours admiring them all hours of the day. “You lead the way and I’ll make sure that beautiful behind doesn’t go anywhere.”

“Only if you promise me I can interview you in that blacksmith outfit next time,” Steve says, reaching around and affectionately squeezing Tony’s soft ass with both hands.

Tony squeaks and Steve swears he can feel Tony’s cock jump as the man leans into Steve’s embrace. “I thought you didn’t like it.”

“I liked it plenty,” Steve admits. “I just didn’t like that the front wasn’t as tight as the back.”

Tony’s eyebrows shoot up. “Kinky Rogers,” he says with a mischievous smile that Steve is sure will be the death of him. “But I don’t take requests until after the second date. Take me to dinner and we’ll see what where the night goes. Maybe I’ll even call you my boyfriend.”

Steve rolls his eyes. The stupid things he puts up for love. Steve gives Tony a quick peck on the lips and squeezes Tony’s gloved hand, reminding himself that this is real. It’s not a dream.

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed it!


End file.
